How to save money as a young adult?

As a teenager, I am completely assuming you don't have any major bills to pay (except for mobile phone bill if you're unlucky). This means it must be easier to save a significant amount of money, right? Well it is possible, if you are aware of where your money is going and whether you have the motivation to save.

Here are a few of my favourite tips that have helped me save money as a teenager:

1. Having the right mindset
This sounds lame, I know! However, it is so important to be in the right mindset. This usually happens when you have a particular goal in mind. For example, saving for a car, or a holiday, or even a house. All these things will help you get motivated and in the right mindset to save money.

2. Get a part time job
Unless you are lucky enough to get an allowance from your parents, it is super important that you have some sort of income (how else would you save?!). This is how a part time job will help you. It doesn't have to be the fanciest job in the world, just anything that will pay and treat you fairly.

3. Create a budget
Once your in the right mindset and have a means of income, the most important thing to do is create a budget. As boring as it sounds, it will really help you in your saving goals as you can see exactly where your money is going. I can go more into depth about how to budget in another blogpost, but for now I will summarise how to make one is a few easy steps.

1. Assess how much you make per week/fortnight/month
2. Immediately deduct any of your fixed or expected expenses for that period
3. Write down and allocate money to different aspects of you life that may need money (entertainment, food, clothes etc.)
4. The rest of the money can be saved!

Side note: If your savings aren't looking too great, maybe it is time to assess your budget and make certain cuts. For example, cutting your clothing budget from $80 to $40 per month, which will save you $480 in a year!

4. Consistency
Making you sure you are consistent with your budget is the only way you are going to succeed with it. It is so important to maintain a frugal lifestyle to actually see results.

Saving and budgeting money can be hard, but it is so important to have great money habits while you're young, trust me you won't regret it!

Why every teenager should have a part-time job!

I am a big advocate for teenagers having a job whenever legally possible (usually 15 or 16). There are so many benefits of having a job at a young age and it can build character and financial independence. So if you are a teen, and thinking about getting a job here are a few reasons why you should.

1. Financial independence

This goes without saying, even if you aren't completely financially independent, you are able to purchase things that your parents wouldn't necessarily buy for you. Also, it helps parents out a lot if you make your own money (however little it may be).

2. Experience

Working in a crap minimum wage job in the fast food industry when you are 15 will give you experience for the future so that by the time you're 18, you'll be able to get a fun retail job. Trust me, the experience will look outstanding on your resume, even after you graduate university. 

3. More organised

Working also teaches you work ethic, time management and allows you to appreciate money. I don't know about you but when I got a job it made me much more organised as I appreciated my time a lot more. 

4. Saving for the future

Whether you are saving for a car or an expensive handbag, saving up money is so rewarding. Seeing 300 dollars deposited into you bank account after a hard week of work couldn't be any better. I wish I had started saving money when I was much younger so that I would be able to purchase a car right now. But it seem like I'll have to wait a while.

If you need tips on how to get a job, read my blogpost about it here.

18 things I learnt being 18!

Next month I will be turing the big 1-9! and although I'm still young, I'm am sad to see my childhood slowly slipping away from me. 2015 was a great year for me. I turned 18, started university and experienced some adulthood (if you could call it that). These are the things that i experienced and realised as a result of being 18 years old.

1. Getting your license is essential

Whether you are wanting to go on a road trip or a maccas (McDonalds) run, having a reliable piece of transport and your license is vital. Catching the bus everyday will make you realise that you need your own transportation. Living about a 45 minute drive from university and having no license was a night mare. It would take me around 2 hours to get there and it was draining. Trust me, when I tell you, start practicing your driving now so that when you turn 18 life will be much more simple. 

2. Life isn't as easy

Life if not like it was in high school. You have to wake yourself up, remind yourself of test date and assignment due dates. You have to attend all lectures, tutorials and practicals, whilst also not going mentally insane. And what is even breakfast..? Trust me, it is hard, but so rewarding at the same time. 

3. Life isn't that hard

People may say that being an adult is hard and they are not wrong. However, being and 18 year means that you automatically a fully functioning adult. This is the year that you are going to have the most fun. You can drink and go clubbing, stay up late and have minimal real life responsibilities. 

4. Friends come and go

The friends you had in high school may no longer be the friends that you have by the time you turn 19. sometime there are people you are only friends with because you used to see each other at school everyday. and this is true for most people. I can't even count the number of people that I haven't seen since high school that I used to consider my closest friends. However, do not worry, whether you go to university or work you will definitely find new friends that you will hopefully have forever.  

5. You NEED money

It's not a lie that university students are broke. If you are lucky enough to have a job that pays well then good on you. But for the rest of us it is a long hard road, filled with 2 minute noodles and $1, 7/11 coffee. 

6. You are more independent

This goes without saying, that with adulthood comes an overwhelming amount of independence. Relying on your parents is a thing of the past, as are packed lunches unfortunately :(

7. Get ready to go out A LOT

Finally you are somewhat independent, that means that you friends will always want to go out clubbing, to a bar or just to lunch or dinner (breakfast if you're fancy).

8. Alcohol is expensive

Literally have no idea why but you could actually waste hundreds of dollars on drinks, trust me!

9. Clubbing is expensive

Once again I have absolutely no idea why this is, the place is a mess, there no air conditioner and alcohol prices are a joke. However, it is a fun treat once in a while. 

10. The world is much safer than people make it seem

Obviously stay as safe a possible and if something doesn't feel right then don't do it. However, don't let that stop you from doing things like going out at night with your friends. 

11. You will question everything in you life

What am I doing with my life? Where will I be in 5 years? Do I like my degree? Do I like my job?

...so many damn questions.

12. SAVE YOUR MONEY

Trust me when I say, stop wasting your money. I know it's hard but it'll be worth it. Try and set a budget that you will religiously follow. Or if you want you can do the 52 week money challenge . 

13. You'll spend a lot more time with friends than family

Unfortunately it is true, through university, work and studying spending time with your family will become increasingly harder. 

14. Guys can be creeps

Just get tinder or go to a club and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Most of them mean no harm so don't get too worried, in fact, take it as a compliment.

15. You will meet so many different people

Even though I knew that people lived all over the place, I didn't really realise it until I went to university. There are so many people from different backgrounds who have many common interests as you. You feel like you've lived a sheltered life for your entire existence. 

16. You'll love life one second and hate it the next

Party on Saturday night-love. Last minute assignment S
unday night-hate. 

17. Your parents will expect you to be more responsible 

I know from experience that my parents started giving me more chores and more responsibilities around the house. For example I now have to pay my own phone bill- bummer, I know. 

18. You will miss your younger years 

And finally the real reason I am making this list is because I am already missing my childhood and teenage years. And although 19 is still technically a teen, I feel as though

52 Week money challenge!

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This year I have decided that I wanted to do the 52 week money challenge to save some extra money that I may have spent on useless things.  I want to document my journey in doing this challenge and cannot wait for the reward at the end ($1378 to be exact). In my opinion, this has to be one of the easiest ways to save money.

How does it work?

Every week you are required to put a certain amount of money into a piggy bank of bank account. The amount of money you are required to deposit depends on the week. For example if it is week 1, you would deposit $1. In week 2 you will put in $2 giving a total balance of $3. This continues every week until week 52. 

Save the following chart and join this journey to save $1378. My main reason for doing this is to save for a car... yours may be different. 

There is also an app that can help you track your progress. Just search '52 week money challenge' in the app store and download. 

It is currently week 2 and I have a grand total of $3 in my piggybank. Slow and steady wins the race. 

How to get a job as a teenager?

So you're 15 and you want a job. Or you are 19 and never had a job. There are certain things that interviewers are looking for when it comes to teens and jobs and I am hopefully about to give you some tips on where to look and how to ace those job interviews.

Where to get a job?

First things first, where can you find a job. Assuming that you are not professionally qualified, there aren't a large variety of jobs you can obtain. Looking online is your best bet. This is because managers usually overlook the resumes given in store especially if they are not hiring at the time. Places like McDonalds, KFC and Subway are always looking to hire young teens so trying there could be beneficial. You could also tried retail, however this is a lot harder to get if you have no work experience, but worth the shot. Looking on job websites like seek.com and indeed.com or directly on the companies website, will inform you of current job opportunities.

Resume...

Now for the resume, you want a simple description of who you are and the skills you posses. If you don't have any work experience the best thing to do is to write about certain volunteer work you've done or extra curricular activities you have participated in and the skills you learnt from them. You can search online for templates of resumes and use them as a guideline for your one. Another important part of the resume is making sure you have at least two referees, some jobs may require more however this seems to be a good number. Again, if you don't have any work experience you could put teachers, coaches and family members. Most importantly make sure your resume is free from grammatical errors and careless mistakes. It is also important to continuously update it as time goes on. Places like McDonalds (in Australia) won't always require you to bring a resume as they are aware that it is most likely your first job. So don't get too worried if you don't have much work experience.

Interview tips

So you made it to the interview...what next?

1. Dress appropriately 

The amount of times I have seen people at and interview wearing tracksuit pants or a mini dress, this will definitely set the wrong impression. If you are stuck on what to wear, a simple white top with some dark wash jeans (nicely fitted of course), will do the trick. Another tip is that as a teen you should not go to and interview and a Ralph Lauren pants suit as it may be overkill (unless it if for a highly professional position). REMEMBER don't show too much skin or go over the top with makeup and accessories. 

2. Act like you want to be there and you are eager for the job

When the interviewers call you, they already know that you are nervous so they are going to be loooking for the people who can be confident in an uncomfortable situation. So when you say 'hello' have a smile. Also as them how they are by simply saying 'how are you?'. This could really make you stand out from the rest of the applicants. Having a fun, positive attitude will get you places, so try and act like that in the interview (and in real life). However, make sure that you can also show that you'll be serious, hard worker. 

3. Prepare answers to common interview questions

Although many people would argue that you shouldn't rehearse and memorise answers to common interview questions, I think otherwise. You don't have to go as far as memorising every word off by heart, but it wouldn't hurt to at least get familiar with the questions that the interviewer may ask (I mean it wouldn't hurt to be prepared). Common interview questions are: Why do you want to work here? What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? How would you deal with a difficult customer?
To answer these questions you may want to research about the core values of the company.
You can also search for other questions and sample answers online, which can help you get an edge in the interview.
Preparing for the questions will ensure that you don't pause and you aren't stunned by any of them. 

Things to avoid

1. don't chew gum

2. don't talk about the bad things in your life

3. don't ask about pay

4. don't talk about another company unless specifically asked

5. don't talk poorly about previous employer

What to do if you get the job

This may vary depending on the job you get but make sure you have 

-Identification

-Bank account information 

-Superannuation information

With all that in mind, I would like to wish you good luck on your job hunt!